The effect of grid configurations on potential and current densitydistributions in positive plate of lead–acid battery vianumerical modeling

Abstract

tDuring the last decades, huge efforts have been made to enhance the efficiency as well as performanceof lead–acid batteries. The configuration of grid wires plays an important role in minimizing the ohmicdrop and hence, improving its current collecting ability. In the current study, numerical methods havebeen employed to investigate the effects of grid configuration on the performance of a positive electrodein lead–acid batteries. Potential and current density distributions have been modeled through grid wires,active material and adjacent electrolyte to the surface of each grid. The modeling results are consistentwith experimental findings in the literature saying that the optimized diagonal design for grid configu-ration provides lower total grid weight as well as enhanced current collecting role comparing to otherdesigns such as, conventional, diagonal and expanded metal. This confirms that numerical modeling is afast, inexpensive and effective method for optimization of the battery grid configuration.